A groundbreaking ceremony for the future 513th Air Control Group Operations was held Thursday at Tinker Air Force Base.

The 32,000-square-foot facility will allow currently separated units to have a consolidated Air Control Group Headquarters, Operations Support Flight and Airborne Air Control Squadron facility, officials said.

The building is scheduled to be completed by January 2018.

Project Manager Joe Wade, 507th Civil Engineer Squadron, said he initiated the military construction project in 2010 once the need was determined for a larger and more up-to-date facility.